|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ted Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg)
March 2, 1904 - September 24, 1991
Trivia
Never had any children of his own.
Before working on the children's books that would make him world famous, he made scuptures of fantastic animals in the form of taxidermist-mounted heads. Some of the creatures' surreal details would later appear in illustrations in his later books.
An unpublished 1973 manuscript for "My Many Colored Days" had no illustrations. "Dr. Seuss" had written that he hoped "a great color artist who will not be dominated by me" would illustrate the book, with a "new art style and pattern of thinking." The book was published in 1999 with abstract artwork by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher.
Two of his works have been translated into Latin: "The Cat in the Hat" ("Cattus Petasatus") and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" ("Quomodo Invidiosulus Nomine Grinchus Christi Natalem Abrogaverit").
His first book, "And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street", was rejected by over 20 publishers.
Worked as a commercial artist, and was known for his humorous spot drawings for Flit bug spray.
In 1942, he was placed in charge of the Animation Division of the Armed Forces Motion Picture unit by Col. Frank Capra. Under Dr. Seuss's administration, a series of instructional cartoons featuring the character "Private Snafu" (unofficial acronym for "Situation Normal, All [Fouled] Up") were produced from 1943 to 1946. Snafu's concept and name were created by Capra, and the character designed by Art Heineman & Chuck Jones. The cartoons, animated by Warner Brothers, United Productions of America (UPA), and Harman-Ising Studios, had a unique saltiness to dialogue and content, but since these were instructional films made for the bi-weekly "Army-Navy Screen Magazine" newsreel, they were exempt from Hayes Office restrictions. Although uncredited, Seuss most likely wrote for many of the earlier cartoons, since much of the dialogue is written in rhyme, and several characters resemble the illustrations from his books. A second series of instructional cartoons for the Navy, featuring Private Snafu's brother, "Seaman Tarfu" ("Things Are Really [Fouled] Up"), was planned, but the end of WW2 brought an end to the series.
Attended Oxford University, 1926 - 1928.
Of his many works, only four could truly be called political. "The Lorax" was an parable on short-sighted exploitation of natural resources, "The Butter Battle Book" was a commentary on the arms race, "The Sneetches" dealt with racism and "Yertle the Turtle" himself was representative of Hitler and the Third Reich.
Is a brother in the fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon
Was a recluse, spending much of his time alone in his studio.
Personal quotes
"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope and that enables you to laugh at life's realities."
(When asked why he had no children): "You keep having kids, I'll keep wrtiting books for them."
Writer
1. Cat in the Hat, The (2003) (book)
... aka Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat (2003) (USA: complete title)
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) (book)
... aka Grinch, The (2000/I) (Australia) (USA: promotional title)
... aka Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) (USA: complete title)
3. Daisy-Head Mayzie (1995) (TV) (book)
... aka Dr. Seuss' Daisy-Head Mayzie (1995) (TV) (USA: video title)
4. In Search of Dr. Seuss (1994) (TV) (characters)
5. Horton Hatches the Egg (1992) (book)
6. Butter Battle Book, The (1989) (TV) (also book)
7. Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat, The (1982) (TV)
... aka Cat in the Hat Get's Grinched, The (1982) (TV) (USA: video title)
8. Dr. Seuss' Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You? (1980) (TV) (also book)
9. Yertle the Turtle (1977) (TV) (also book)
10. Lorax, The (1972) (TV) (also book)
11. Horton Hears a Who! (1970) (TV) (also book)
12. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) (TV) (also book)
... aka Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) (TV)
13. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957) (book)
14. Gerald McBoing-Boing on Planet Moo (1956) (story)
15. How Now McBoing-Boing (1954) (story)
16. 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T., The (1953) (story)
... aka Crazy Music (1953) (reissue title)
... aka Dr. Seuss' 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953) (video title)
17. Gerald McBoing-Boing's Symphony (1953) (story)
18. Gerald McBoing-Boing (1951) (story)
19. Costume Designer, The (1950) (story) (as Theodor S. Geisel)
20. Design for Death (1948) (as Theodor S. Geisel)
21. Your Job in Germany (1945)
22. And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street (1944) (book)
23. Spies (1943) (uncredited)
... aka Private Snafu: Spies (1943) (USA: complete title)
24. Coming Snafu (1943) (uncredited)
25. 500 Hats of Bartholemew Cubbins (1943)
26. Horton Hatches the Egg (1942) (book)
27. 'Neath the Bababa Tree (1931) (story)
28. Put on the Spout (1931) (story)
Producer
1. Dr. Seuss: I Am Not Going to Get Up Today! (1991) (V) (producer)
2. P.D. Eastman: Are You My Mother? (1991) (V) (producer)
3. Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat, The (1982) (TV) (producer) (as Ted Geisel)
... aka Cat in the Hat Get's Grinched, The (1982) (TV) (USA: video title)
4. Dr. Seuss' Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You? (1980) (TV) (producer) (as Ted Geisel)
5. Halloween Is Grinch Night (1977) (TV) (producer) (as Ted Geisel)
... aka Grinch Night (1977) (TV) (USA)
... aka It's Grinch Night (1977) (TV)
6. Dr. Seuss on the Loose (1973) (TV) (producer)
7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) (TV) (producer) (as Ted Geisel)
... aka Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) (TV)
Miscellaneous Crew
1. In Search of Dr. Seuss (1994) (TV) (archive source) (as The Estate of Theodor S. Geisel)
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) (TV) (lyricist)
... aka Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) (TV)
3. 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T., The (1953) (lyricist)
... aka Crazy Music (1953) (reissue title)
... aka Dr. Seuss' 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953) (video title)
Actor
1. In Search of Dr. Seuss (1994) (TV) (uncredited) (archive footage) .... Himself
2. Unusual Occupations (1941/II) (uncredited) .... Himself
... aka Unusual Occupations L-1-1 (1941) |
|